Scientific educational appliance

ABSTRACT

A pair of hingedly connected plate members are equipped with handles so that pupils can attempt to separate the same against the force of springs. The hand screw or other force multiplier is provided with the assembly to emphasize to the pupils the efficiency of such devices in comparison to manual power.

United States Patent AVAMBEE GQP'Y Hiram F. Young 13232 Mount Whitney, Reno. Nev. 89507 819,3 1

Apr. 25, 1969 July 13, 1971 Inventor Appl No. Filed Patented scnammc EDUCATIONAL APPLIANCE SClahngZDrawing Figs. i v

u.s.c|....; 35/19 in. CI ....G09b 23/06 Field ofSearch 272/79 's2; 24/67, 248 size 255.1

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 57,977 9/l866 Sanbom 24/248 SB 1,707,315 4/1929 Palmer 24/248 SB Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner- Lewis Anten Attorney-Alexander B. Blair ABSTRACT: A pairof hingedly connected plate members are equipped with handles so that pupils can attempt to separate .the same against the force of springs. The hand screw or other force multiplier is provided with the assembly to emphasize to the pupils the efficiency of such devices in comparison to Y manual power.

PATENIED JUL 1 3.1971

IN VEN TOR. B 7/24/14 Yam a C Arra 'lcn SCIENTIFIC EDUCATIONAL APPLIANCE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There is a need at the elementary school level for simplified and inexpensive teaching aids to drive home or illustrate a point to science students. Some such devices are available on the market but most tend to be costly and complicated and do not deal with some of the most elementary physical principles which the teacher may desire to begin with in leading up to more sophisticated experiments and illustrations.

The present invention apparatus satisfies the need for a sim ple teaching aid to be used for illustrating a point of elementary mechanics, namely the multiplication of force with an inclined plane in the form of a screw or wedge. The device is rugged and durable to withstand rough treatment by the students, is very economical and forceful in driving home the point which it is intended to illustrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a scientific educational appliance embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is an end elevation thereof taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals designate like parts, the numerals l and 11 designate opposing flat rectangular plates formed of wood or the like and being of the same size and having corresponding ends connected by a transverse hinge 12 so that the two plates may be pivoted about the axis of such hinge. The plates and l l are provided on their outer sides substantially centrally with opposing handgrips 13 to be used by students for pulling the two plates apart, or away from parallelism in a part of the scientific demonstration.

Near their ends remote from the hinge 12, the two plates are apertured to receive therethrough near their corners a pair of bolts 14 which extend substantially beyond the outer side of plate 11 and carry relatively strong compression springs 15 thereon, backed up by spring tension adjusting nuts 16 and suitable washers, as shown. The springs 15 urge the plates 10 and 11 toward parallelism and resist separation of the two plates manually by pulling on the handles 13. The tension of the springs may be regulated so that the pupil will find it very difficult to separate the plates manually by using the handles 13.

A first force multiplier in the form of a screw 17 having a handle 18 is provided upon the device, such screw having screw-threaded engagement through a suitable insert 19 in the plate 10, the screw being set perpendicular to the plate 10. The opposing plate 11 has a metal or like insert plate 20 upon which the end of the screw 17 may bear without substantial wear to the parts. The screw 17 may be turned with extremely little effort to effect separation of the plates 10 and 11 against the force of the springs 15. The screw 17 is preferably disposed relatively near the ends of the plates 10 and 11 having the bolts 14.

An alternative form of force multiplier embodying the inclined plane principle of screw threads may be provided in the form ofa simple wedge 21 which may be utilized in lieu of the screw 17 to easily separate the two plates when the apex of the wedge is introduced between them and tapped or forced lightly therebetween. The science students may experiment with either form of force multiplier, screw or wedge, and have driven home to them with emphasis the great advantage of such mechanical devices over manual power.

It is believed that the purpose and advantages of the invention as a teaching aid are readily apparent without the necessity for further explanation. The device is characterized by extreme simplicit and economy and durability and is desi ned to graphically i ustrate to the young students a basic mec anical principle.

lclaim:

l. A scientific educational appliance for illustrating a mechanical principle comprising a pair of elongated opposing members hingedly connected near corresponding ends so that the members may be separated by pivoting movement about such ends, resilient means interconnecting said members near their other ends and resisting separation of the members, handgrip means on the members to facilitate manual separation thereof against the force of said resilient means, and a mechanical force multiplier on at least one of the members and engageable with the opposing member and operable with greatly reduced effort to cause separation of the members against the force of said resilient means, said force multiplier being a screw having screw-threaded engagement with one member substantially at right angles thereto and having an end bearing against the opposing member.

2. A scientific educational appliance for illustrating a mechanical principle comprising a pair of elongated opposing members hingedly connected near corresponding ends so that the members may be separated by pivoting movement about such ends, resilient means interconnecting said members near their other ends and resisting separation of the members, handgrip means on the members to facilitate manual separation thereof against the force of said resilient means, and a mechanical force multiplier means cooperating with and engaging with at least one of the members and engageable with the opposing member and operable with greatly reduced effort to cause separation of the members against the force of said resilient means, said force multiplier being wedge element adapted to enter between said members to separate them with minimum effort against the force of said resilient means.

3. A scientific educational appliance for illustrating a mechanical principle comprising a pair of elongated opposing members hingedly connected near corresponding ends so that the members may be separated by pivoting movement about such ends, resilient means interconnecting said members near their other ends and resisting separation of the members, handgrip means on the members to facilitate manual separation thereof against the force of said resilient means, and a mechanical force multiplier on at least one of the members and engageable with the opposing member and operable with greatly reduced effort to cause separation of the members against the force of said resilient means, the opposing members being a pair of plates and said handgrip means being a pair of handles on the outer sides of said plates substantially centrally thereof.

4. The structure of claim 2, wherein said resilient means includes a spring device and a second mechanical force multiplier means comprising a screw element having screw-threaded engagement with one plate and extending therethrough and bearing against the opposite plate.

5. The structure of claim 4, and said screw element located between said handles and spring device. 

1. A scientific educational appliance for illustrating a mechanical principle comprising a pair of elongated opposing members hingedly connected near corresponding ends so that the members may be separated by pivoting movement about such ends, resilient means interconnecting said members near their other ends and resisting separation of the members, handgrip means on the members to facilitate manual separation thereof against the force of said resilient means, and a mechanical force multiplier on at least one of the members and engageable with the opposing member and operable with greatly reduced effort to cause separation of the members against the force of said resilient means, said force multiplier being a screw having screw-threaded engagement with one member substantially at right angles thereto and having an end bearing against the opposing member.
 2. A scientific educational appliance for illustrating a mechanical principle comprising a pair of elongated opposing members hingedly connected near corresponding ends so that the members may be separated by pivoting movement about such ends, resilient means interconnecting said members near their other ends and resisting separation of the members, handgrip means on the members to facilitate manual separation thereof against the force of said resilient means, and a mechanical force multiplier means cooperating with and engaging with at least one of the members and engageable with the opposing member and operable with greatly reduced effort to cause separation of the members against the force of said resilient means, said force multiplier being wedge element adapted to enter between said members to separate them with minimum effort against the force of said resilient means.
 3. A scientific educational appliance for illustrating a mechanical principle comprising a pair of elongated opposing members hingedly connected near corresponding ends so that the members may be separated by pivoting movement about such ends, resilient means interconnecting said members near their other ends and resisting separation of the members, handgrip means on the members to facilitate manual separation thereof against the force of said resilient means, and a mechanical force multiplier on at least one of the members and engageable with the opposing member and operable with greatly reduced effort to cause separation of the members against the force of said resilient means, the opposing members being a pair of plates and said handgrip means being a pair of handles on the outer sides of said plates substantially centrally thereof.
 4. The structure of claim 2, wherein said resilient means includes a spring device and a second mechanical force multiplier means comprising a screw element having screw-threaded engagement with one plate and extending therethrough and bearing against the opposite plate.
 5. The structure of claim 4, and said screw element located between said handles and spring device. 